Canyon Gate Cinco Ranch (section 8, buying a home, buying)

[LonghornHotspur]

Originally Posted by WRM20

Letting the water out had nothing to do with Canyon Gate flooding. Canyon Gate is inside the Barker Reservoir pool, so letting water out made it less flooded.

Incredible how many people nationwide don't understand this.

Barker is a bathtub.....Corps pulled the plug and sent too much water down the drain (Energy Corridor/Buffalo Bayou) to keep from spilling over the top (Cinco Ranch/Grand Lakes, etc.)

They had a crappy choice to make. Why homes were allowed to be built inside the bathtub....that is the real question.

[gwarnecke]

Bingo!

I have a investment property just downstream from the reservoirs that flooded after they opened up the dams, and it grates on me whenever Cinco and Canyon Gate residents blame the reservoir release for flooding their homes!

After the trauma of Harvey I would never buy a previously-flooded home in the Houston area. There is simply no good reason to take chances when our city has no shortage of decent-quality housing that has never flooded and carries minimal flood risk. Needless to say, however, I'm grateful that other buyers aren't thinking like me in our neighborhood - quite a few flooded and rebuilt homes have sold over the past year, many to transplants from out of the state. I guess they're looking for a deal, or they come from places like California where people are used to spending a fortune on housing that might be wiped out in the next earthquake/wildfire/mudslide.

As for Canyon Gate - it was sheer lunacy to build a neighborhood so far inside a flood control reservoir. I guess it's continued popularity can only be explained by the fact that it's a gated community with 9/10 rated schools for under $250k.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by gwarnecke

Bingo!

I have a investment property just downstream from the reservoirs that flooded after they opened up the dams, and it grates on me whenever Cinco and Canyon Gate residents blame the reservoir release for flooding their homes!

After the trauma of Harvey I would never buy a previously-flooded home in the Houston area. There is simply no good reason to take chances when our city has no shortage of decent-quality housing that has never flooded and carries minimal flood risk. Needless to say, however, I'm grateful that other buyers aren't thinking like me in our neighborhood - quite a few flooded and rebuilt homes have sold over the past year, many to transplants from out of the state. I guess they're looking for a deal, or they come from places like California where people are used to spending a fortune on housing that might be wiped out in the next earthquake/wildfire/mudslide.

As for Canyon Gate - it was sheer lunacy to build a neighborhood so far inside a flood control reservoir. I guess it's continued popularity can only be explained by the fact that it's a gated community with 9/10 rated schools for under $250k.

From what I remember of the investigative coverage in the Chronicle, the developer pressured Harris County to not require a plat note about being in the flood pool. Of course, most home buyers never review the plat anyway, so I don't know how much it would have mattered, assuming builders would still have bought lots in the community and put up homes.

[AliefNorth]

Originally Posted by gwarnecke

Bingo!

I have a investment property just downstream from the reservoirs that flooded after they opened up the dams, and it grates on me whenever Cinco and Canyon Gate residents blame the reservoir release for flooding their homes!

After the trauma of Harvey I would never buy a previously-flooded home in the Houston area. There is simply no good reason to take chances when our city has no shortage of decent-quality housing that has never flooded and carries minimal flood risk. Needless to say, however, I'm grateful that other buyers aren't thinking like me in our neighborhood - quite a few flooded and rebuilt homes have sold over the past year, many to transplants from out of the state. I guess they're looking for a deal, or they come from places like California where people are used to spending a fortune on housing that might be wiped out in the next earthquake/wildfire/mudslide.

As for Canyon Gate - it was sheer lunacy to build a neighborhood so far inside a flood control reservoir. I guess it's continued popularity can only be explained by the fact that it's a gated community with 9/10 rated schools for under $250k.

Canyon Gate is probably the least desirable neighborhood in Cinco Ranch alongside Cinco Ranch Tract FM 1093, even before Harvey it was never considered to be as desirable as the other surrounding neighborhoods. Even as a gated community most buyers prefer a lot of non gated communities around Cinco because they don’t view Canyon Gate as desirable. The schools might be the same but the actual neighborhood itself is not great. Now fast forward after Harvey it’s become even less desirable.

I honestly feel sorry for the people that pay tons of cash to live in Canyon Gate, your paying 200-something thousand dollars for a previously flooded house and still carry the risk of another flooding. There are sooo many better options in the great city of HOUSTON that have way better location and NEVER FLOODED as-good housing quality and decent public schools for that same amount of money.

I pity the residents of Canyon Gate, I really do.

[LonghornHotspur]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

From what I remember of the investigative coverage in the Chronicle, the developer pressured Harris County to not require a plat note about being in the flood pool. Of course, most home buyers never review the plat anyway, so I don't know how much it would have mattered, assuming builders would still have bought lots in the community and put up homes.

I think you're correct, but it was Ft. Bend County, not Harris......a place that never says "No" to any developer request.

Caveat Emptor....or just don't ever buy a home in Houston metro that has ever flooded.

[hendersj31]

Ha... and how many people that post on here are looking for descent schools? Its only the best for the folks looking around here. Always Katy, Sugar Land, Woodlands, Kinkaid and St. Johns.
So many posts where "Top Schools are a must"...

Originally Posted by AliefNorth

Canyon Gate is probably the least desirable neighborhood in Cinco Ranch alongside Cinco Ranch Tract FM 1093, even before Harvey it was never considered to be as desirable as the other surrounding neighborhoods. Even as a gated community most buyers prefer a lot of non gated communities around Cinco because they don’t view Canyon Gate as desirable. The schools might be the same but the actual neighborhood itself is not great. Now fast forward after Harvey it’s become even less desirable.

I honestly feel sorry for the people that pay tons of cash to live in Canyon Gate, your paying 200-something thousand dollars for a previously flooded house and still carry the risk of another flooding. There are sooo many better options in the great city of HOUSTON that have way better location and NEVER FLOODED as-good housing quality and decent public schools for that same amount of money.

I pity the residents of Canyon Gate, I really do.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by LonghornHotspur

I think you're correct, but it was Ft. Bend County, not Harris......a place that never says "No" to any developer request.

Caveat Emptor....or just don't ever buy a home in Houston metro that has ever flooded.

Actually, IIRC, Fort Bend did require the plat note, but Harris didn't.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by hendersj31

Ha... and how many people that post on here are looking for descent schools? Its only the best for the folks looking around here. Always Katy, Sugar Land, Woodlands, Kinkaid and St. Johns.
So many posts where "Top Schools are a must"...

Exactly, skipping over schools that are hardly "war zones" or in physical deterioration...as if they're sure their little darlings couldn't somehow get the education they need unless they live 10 miles further out and spend $150K more on a home.

[LonghornHotspur]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Actually, IIRC, Fort Bend did require the plat note, but Harris didn't.

Good call @LocalPlanner, I stand corrected

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/harv...ead-fine-print

[SK115]

Looking through HAR.com, there are 27 listings in Canyon Gate Cinco Ranch. 9 of those 27 (or 1/3) are under contract. I assume that all or most flooded.

They don't look like they were anything special architecturally to begin with, but some have been renovated beautifully post flood.

Many have upgrades such as hardwood floors or wood look tiles, custom cabinets, quartz counters, farmhouse sinks, etc.

These homes were built in the late '90s or early 2000s, and were not high end homes to begin with. They had builder grade finishes before.

Most buyers today expected a beautifully updated home and don't want to do any of the renovations themselves. As a result, people are risking being a flood zone and buying those houses.

I've even heard realtors say that areas that flood end up surpassing the values of those that didn't, due to homes being updated.

They are probably not a bad investment in the short term, assuming no more flooding happens. I would be worried about another flood happening in the long term.